Gertie’s Garden Diary, February Part Two.

Well, after a cold, wet and windy day on Friday8th. a little bird came to the big feeder and I just caught a fuzzy camera image of it. …. Is it a Marsh Titmouse?
It was quickly chased away by a squirrel!
Today [Feb 9th] started bright and sunny, and after peering through the window and still not getting very clear pictures I went down to GG.
… I retrieved the Hoe, and the Big Green Hands and half-filled a sack with path scrapings and loose soil, before coming in for lunch, followed by Rugby! It’s been raining out there since, so that was good timing. I barely half-finished one path around the bottom of Blue Hill before it finished me off for the day!
Robin followed me around of course … I scattered a few freshly dug worms and dried meal worms for him. He’s lovely 
My friend, Aynsley, was throwing salt into cracks and corners the other day to get rid of unwanted growth … I wonder?
We are trying out a new block feeder … and Goldfinches like the big feeder too!
Sunday10th Feb. I wasted the morning and by the time I was ready to go outside it was raining. But I did see many birds in GG through the window, and I will keep a record here. Squirrel was on ‘his’ feeder early but it had its fair share of bird-visitors today as well … in roughly order of viewing, pigeon flew in.
… then Robin was busy foraging when another Robin approached him. There was a bit of a stand-off, so I don’t know whether this was his mate, a territorial interloper, or offspring?
The bare branches of the Ribe hedge interspersed with Hazel wands are very attractive to the little birds.
Also Hazel Catkins are appearing in the approaching spring [we hope!] weather
Have spread a bit of salt around the composter bin path to eradicate the Celandines … I loathe Celandines; they remind me of a bad day 62 years ago, which still darkens my mind a little.
Some of the cock Goldfinches are magnificent little birds; so bright and colourful.
There came a pretty little Coal titmouse, followed by a pair of beautifully groomed Great Titmice.
As I watched the reappearance of the elusive Dunnock, I was struck by my appalling neglect in not clearing out the plastic lining of the basket! The plastic looks ragged as though birds are pecking at it … bad idea. Must clear that!
12th Feb. cleared out more of the Celandine plants invading cracks in the pathways, and did some more sweeping and tidying today, and of course disposed of the plastic in the old hanging basket! There are many big, fat, buds on the Camellia and the Bee was busy in the Lonicera again’ I loved the early melted frost-drops in the Columbine leaf folds.
The Euphorbia plant from Aynsley is growing really well ….
…and there will be massed Bluebells with the Daffodils and Tulips, and I don’t mind this year!
13th Feb. ….. Dom turned on outside water tap so that I could clean the potato bags, but will do them tomorrow as unexpectedly got an appt with the Optician for today, which suited me well as I will [hopefully] have my new prescriptions ready to wear by the end of the month. It was a bright sunny day today. This couple appeared bright and early!
Feb 14th was another bright, sunny, and quite warm day. Washed, Dettol sprayed and dried the potato bags, but need to …
A] dig out some ready compost from the composter, and
B] buy a large bag of All-Purpose compost as well, to put a layer in each bag to warm up over the coming weeks.
14th February: ….. pretty flowers for Valentine’s Day!
Bluebells, Daffodils, Irises, Tulips are all pushing merrily through the soil!
Whilst I was tidying and trimming a Long-Tailed Titmouse came really close and drank from water in the top of a pot. I snapped him from just behind the pink Rose bush. Then I rewashed and re-filled [sadly only with tap water] two bowls.
Feb 15th. Planted the Primula, at last! The pretty little Long-Tailed Titmice in the Ribe, ignored me as I topped up feeders and pottered about.
The first Daffodil is almost in bloom …
.. and for once I was pleased to see the snooty grey Tabby from next door, as my neighbour told me she was looking to re-home the cats, and I haven’t seen him or his Ginger brother for a long time.
It’s five o’clock as the sun begins to set in the west at the end of a warm, spring-like day in GG.
Anne ….. February 15th.

6 Responses

Wonderful to see all the bird life, Anne! Our resident birder, Cilla @cilla will confirm the tit for you, I’m sure I understand your dislike of celandines; I have the same sort of issue with the passion flower…

Sad isn’t it Jane they are both beautiful flowers but so ominous for whatever reason … daft really: and I noted some years ago that the Celandine is tenacious and has little bulbuls on its roots which snap off and re-germinate , making it very difficult to eradicate!

Lots of lovely birds and flowers again Anne. Marsh Tits and Willow Tits are very difficult to tell apart and if you google Marsh Tits it will show you a You Tube clip…..it is their song that distinguishes them. Was that “pigeon” smaller than a normal one? If it was it will be a stock dove as they don’t have a white collar like the pigeons.

Many thanks for the Tit-info Cilla…I will be keeping a sharp eye out for a re-sight as the first sighting was so brief and difficult to focus on; and also I was at the window and couldn’t hear the song then. Shall certainly Google and prepare, thanks
Re that “pigeon” , am not sure . the two fat ones were back this morning, they tend to come along quite early, sit and watch, then go for the seeds dropped on the ground by the smaller birds! I am not up to speed on pigeon varieties so will do some research on them too….thanks very much; It’s fascinating, the bird World

He is a cracker, that cat
I think London pigeons are such a mixture of inter-bred pigeons, that I would call them all feral. Then again, there are lovely mixtures of browns, white and petrol mixes plus everything in between, that I couldn’t define a feral, from a wood, from a stock dove/pigeon anyway. A lot of stoggie [as Dixon would say] work to follow up there …. thanks Cilla